Joseph spyer



(No Model.)

. J. SPYER. 1 ADHESIVE PLATE FOB. ARTIFICIAL DBNTURES.

No. 554,740. Patented' Feb. 18, 1896.

UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH SPYER, OF MEXICO, MEXICO.

ADHESIVE PLATE FOR ARTIFICIAL DENTURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters iate nt No. 554,740, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed August 4:, 1894. Serial No. 519,481. v(No model.) Patented in England May 24:, 1895, No. 10,288; in France May 24, 1895, No. 247,754, and in Germany May 31, 1895,1To. 84,120.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SPYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mexico, in the Republic of Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adhesive Plates for Artificial Dentures, (for which patents have been granted in Great Britain, No. 10,288, dated May 24, 1895 in France, No. 247,754, dated May 24, 1895, and in Germany, No. 84,120, dated May 31, 1895;) and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates generally to artificial dentures, and particularly to an adhesive plate or blank formed of gutta-percha and gum-tragacanth, said plate or blank being cut approximately the shape of an artificial denture, to which it is adapted to be attached by vulcanization.

The object of my present invention is to provide a soft and adhesive plate or blank composed of the ingredients above mentioned, which is adapted to be sold to dentists independent of the hard-rubber plate and afterward attached to said hard plate by the dentist. Heretofore it has been attempted to provide a soft or elastic base for hard-rubber plates in order to render said plates more adhesive; but it has been found that the softrubber lining or base soon rots, thus leaving the plate practically worthless.

Now the object of my invention is to overcome this objection, and this I do by the employment of an adhesive plate composed of gutta-percha and gum-tragacanth, inasmuch as I have discovered that a plate composed of these ingredients is not only permanent, but also adheres strongly to the gums and provides a soft and elastic connecting medium, which will soothe and not irritate the runcous membranes.

My invention therefore consists in the details hereinafter referred to, and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view showing an upper denture provided with my improved adhesive plate composed of gutta-percha and gum-tragacanth. Fig. 2 is a view of the plate or blank to be attached to an upper denture, and Fig. 3 shows the form of a blank plate to be attached to a lower denture.

As before stated, these plates are cut approximately the size and shape of the upper and lower dentures, and in preparing said plate I dissolve one part of gutta-percha in chloroform, bisulphide of carbon, or other solvents, and then add about an equal amount of gum-tragacanth,which becomes thoroughly incorporated with the gutta percha. The compound thus formed is rolled out into a thin sheet and cut into the plates or blanks shown in Figs. 2 and 3. I

While I have referred to chloroform and bisulphide of carbon as solvents, it will be understood that the gum-tragacanth can be incorporated by soaking the gutta percha in hot water, and then incorporating the tragacanth therewith while said gutta-percha is still in a soft state. After the plates are finished I preferably cover the upper face thereof with a sheet of tin-foil, which is intended to remain until the adhesive plate is vulcanized to the hard-rubber denture.

The mode of using my adhesive plate is as follows: After the case is fiasked and packed the adhesive plate is placed on the palatal surface of the plaster model, and it is then vulcanized in the usual way, and after the case is vulcanized my adhesive plate will be found to be incorporated with the rubber on the palatal side. The sheet of tin-foil is then removed.

A denture having my adhesive plates composed of gutta-percha and gum-tragacanth is found to be peculiarly adhesive, soft, and soothing to the membranes of the mouth, and, furthermore, such soft and adhesive surface will not rot or deteriorate.

It will of course be understood that I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the proportions stated, but only substantially thereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

As a new article of manufacture, an adhesive plate or blank composed of guttapereha' and gum tragacanth, thoroughly incorporated, formed into a sheet, and cut into the shape of a hard-rubber denture to which it is adapted to be attached by vulcanization, substantially as .shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH SPYER. Vitnesses:

A. O. VERDUGO, WALTER B. MURRAY. 

